Personal Identity Design: From Logos* to Pathos to Ethos

A visual archaeology exercise led by Professor Steven McCarthy, University of Minnesota Archeology is a field of study that attempts to learn about people through historical artifacts and monuments. Anthropology is the study of humanity in its current state. Why, then, would this exercise, in which we qualify and quantify our personal graphic artifacts, be called a visual archeology? Imagine that its 100 years from now, and upon surviving the various triumphs and failures of the world, scholars decide to investigate the students of the University of Aveiro. They will use the students personal artifacts. In other words, their wallets, purses, pants pockets and clothing will reveal a rich data-set to the researchers. What do these graphic artifacts signify? Who is the sender of the communication, who the recipient? Why did they carry these things around with them were they valuable? What answers or questions about social status, economic wealth, cultural identification, individual personality, can the researchers learn? Now that youve been introduced to the concept, here how it works. (You may delete personal data such as credit card numbers...) Catalog every single graphic artifact on your possession, first as a composite artifact (drivers license, branded apparel or mobile phone for example), then look at the parts (color, type, use of symbols, images, textures, etc.). This includes clothing labels, logos on t-shirts and jeans, watchfaces, money, logos on keys and cards, tattoos, hand-written notes, ID cards, store receipts, passport, family photos, etc. Count, describe, analyze, measure focus on the quantifiable aspect first. Use the matrix form on the next page as a guide. You will be creating a visual archeology portrait that we will then use to draw larger conclusions about the graphic artifacts the entire class has documented. At this part of the exercise, we will discuss qualitative issues: meaning, value, communication, symbolism, representation etc. *Logos: (from Greek) word thought logic reason + Materials needed: personal graphic artifact possessions, photocopies (or attach actual artifact to paper or wall) for class presentation

design elements

bo l

identify

document

communication role

inform

entertain

brand

remind (memory)

trade (currency)

private value

value matrix

status value

public value

te xt ur e

ag e

co lo r

pe

siz e

im

sh

sy

ty

ap e

financial value